Simply Caught Up
by missthang06
Summary: Rory runs into Jess at the coffee shop and doesn't know how to react. A series of drabbles detailing their reunion.
1. Caught Up

A/N: A little drabble I thought of while at work. It's my first attempt at a drabble, so let me know if I have the general concept down. Perhaps, I'll expand this into a series of drabbles if it's well received. This is post series finale. Reviews please :)

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><p>"Sorry," Rory muttered after bumping into a customer at New Haven Emporium. She glanced up from her Droid to make sure she hadn't spilled any of her coffee or his, only to be mesmerized by his dark hair and brown eyes. Rory stared, not moving, not thinking, not breathing…simply caught up in the moment.<p>

"Ready to go babe?"

Rory opened her mouth to say yes, to say hi to him, to say something, but the only sound made was continuing silence. The only thing she could do was shake her head yes, and she barely mustered enough determination to do that. As her boyfriend led her to the door, Rory never moved her eyes from his. The world around her disappeared. The only thing that mattered was the sorrow she left in Jess's eyes, yet again.


	2. Running Out Again

A/N: And so my boredom at work has continued, making me decide to continue this drabble into a series of drabbles that tells a story of my favorite couple :)

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><p>Rory's heartbeat raced fast in her chest. She tightly gripped the steering wheel of the car not knowing what to do. She couldn't think clearly. Was that Jess? It had to be Jess. She would recognize those brown eyes and dark wavy hair anywhere. He looked good. He looked older, wiser, more mature, the same Jess she ran to in Philadelphia a few years ago. The same Jess she ran out on. The same Jess she often thought about. She should've said hi or something witty, anything really. Anything was better than staring into those eyes and leaving him yet again. Why did he make her feel this way? Why couldn't she accomplish anything around him?<p>

"Rory? Are you going to start the car?"

But Rory only bit her bottom lip and tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she tried to shake Jess from her thoughts once again.


	3. Those Eyes

A/N: Loving this :) These few words may be my favorite written work in the entire history of my fanfics.

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><p>Jess stared out the window at the Audi parked directly in front. It was a blue Audi, new, bright, and shiny. A respectable car no less. But it no way near compared to the blue in those eyes. Rory's piercing blue eyes. Jess closed his eyes, trying to imprint the image of those eyes in his mind forever. It had been years since he had last seen them, years since Rory walked out him on. For all he knew, this could be the last time he saw those blue eyes. She didn't speak nor wave nor even blink an eye at him. She only stared at him with her signature "deer caught in the headlights" look. And how he longed to see that look and those eyes again.<p> 


	4. Rage

A/N: Reviews please. Still not sure I'm capturing the concept of a drabble. P.S. I'm liking this whole two chapters from Rory's POV and two chapter from Jess's POV.

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><p>Jess opened his eyes. That damn Audi was still parked there. His longing for Rory quickly turned to rage. Rage at her for all the pain she had caused him in the past. Rage at himself for always being a day late and a dollar short. Rage at the boy in the passenger's seat of that shiny Audi. He turned back around and faced the coffee bar. He pursed his lips as he counted to ten, hoping that when we finished and turned back around she will have disappeared again, leaving him and his thoughts as quickly as she entered. <em>One, two<em>...he was never good enough..._three, four_...they always missed their chance..._five, six_...why did she always make him feel this way..._seven, eight_...making a mental note not to care anymore..._nine, ten_. Jess sighed as he turned back around, only to be faced with damn Audi and more rage.


	5. Barely Breathing

"Rory? Rory! Where are you going?"

Rory ignored him as she shut the car door behind her.

"Rory get back in the car!"

Rory barely heard him through the car doors and the pounding of her heart in her eardrums. Rory walked slowly, taking her forever to reach the door the of the coffee shop. Her pace slowed as the whole world around her sped up. Her heart beat faster, her pulse quickened, the knots in her stomach began to turn faster. Even the birds seemed to chirp quicker and the trees seemed to rustle faster. She tried to gather her thoughts, prepare a speech, practice a simple hello. But she couldn't think clearly. She could barely remember how to breathe as she held her breath and reached for the coffee shop door.


	6. Overcoming Childish Ways

Rory opened the door and bravely walked inside. She didn't have to go far. He was standing in front of her. His brown eyes widened at the sight of her. She actually took the time to take in his appearance. His disheveled hair perfectly in place, the stubble on his chin only making his jaw line that much more prominent, his dark jeans contrasting his brown Wallflowers shirt. Rory smirked. He was the same Jess. Older, wiser, more mature, but the same Jess. There was no changing him.

Rory searched his face for some indication of some sort or reaction. It was solemn. Rory exhaled sharply, asking herself how did she run out on him three minutes ago without even saying hello? Here he was full of maturity and all she had to show was her same old childish ways.

Rory bit her bottom lip, trying to steady her emotions. In what seemed like an eternity, she finally gathered the courage to speak.

"Hi."


	7. Emotions

**A/N:** Gah! It's becoming increasingly harder for me stick to less than 200 words (and drabbles are traditionally supposed to be 100!) Just wanted to say that Jess's chapters are my favorite and thanks for the reviews :)

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><p>These words were like magic to his ears. Had she really walked back into the cafe just to say hi? He blinked hard several times, making sure he wasn't dreaming. Each time he opened his eyes, she stood there, staring back at him. This wasn't a dream, an unfulfilled wish, an unspoken desire. This was reality.<p>

"Hi." Jess cursed himself for returning to his monosyllabic youth.

"Hi."

"You already said that." Jess instantly regretted this response. He hated how his emotions were reacting towards her: surprise, hurt, rage, elation, regret.

"I...I didn't know what else to say."

Jess slowly nodded, realizing that her emotions were in an uproar like his. They stood there, staring into each other eyes, in awkward silence, for what seemed like hours. Jess would've given or said anything to end the silence, but instead he simply said "Hi" again, knowing such a simple word conveyed more than an entire sentence ever could.


	8. Wishing and Hoping

"I...I just wanted to see how you are."

She was nervous. He could tell by her voice that she was nervous. After all of these years, he still had that effect on her. He smirked inwardly, wanting nothing more than to tell her all about his life: how he missed her, how he was sorry, how he wished he could change the past, how she still had the same effect on him. But he didn't - no - he couldn't. Instead, he simply nodded.

"Good." There were those monosyllables again.

Rory nodded as she glanced down at her shoes. He was afraid she would leave, say goodbye, disappear for another four years.

"You?" he asked, hoping to prolong the conversation.

Rory smiled slightly. "Good."

Another moment of awkward silence passed. Jess glanced over his shoulder at an empty table. "Want to sit?" he asked, as he silently thanked himself for being able to mask his anxiety, anticipation - well- all of his emotions after all these years. **  
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	9. Wanting Nothing More

Rory's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know what to say. Secretly, she wanted nothing more than to sit down with Jess and catch up on everything that happened over the past years. She wanted to laugh, discuss the latest book she had read, reach across the table and grab his hands, smile, gaze into his eyes, and catch those rare moments when he let his face betray his emotions.

But she knew that she shouldn't - no - couldn't let her wants get the best of her. Rory glanced over her shoulder at the passenger in her new car. She could tell even from this far away that he was growing angrier by the moment. And a part of her wanted nothing more than to make him happy.

She turned back around and glanced into Jess's eyes. Even though he would deny it and tried his hardest to mask his emotions, she could tell that he was growing sadder with every moment that passed without an answer. The tiny spark that had once been in his eyes was slowly fading, and an even bigger part of her wanted nothing more than to make it reappear.**  
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	10. Doubt and Fear

A/n: I apologize for letting this story fall through the cracks. Here is the last chapter. Hope yall have enjoyed it.

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><p>And in that moment, she realized it wasn't her boyfriend who was holding her back. No, it was herself. It was doubt: doubt that they could ever be the same…doubt that too much time had passed between them…doubt that she could find the right words to convey her feelings…doubt that he could never understand.<p>

And an even stronger feeling she was trying to suppress: Fear…Fear that if she gave in, she'd lose him again…and fear that if she didn't, she would hurt him again.

But in the end, it was her fear that won out. As much as she wanted to be with Jess, she didn't want to hurt him anymore. Rory closed the distance between them and kissed Jess softly on the cheek. "I can't stay."

Rory watched as Jess shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to mask his anguish. Rory gave a heart felt smile before she left. On the way to the door, she called over her shoulder, "It was good to see you. I hope we cross paths again in the near future," giving him and herself hope that one day in their future, the timing would be right for them.


End file.
